£1 million pound first bid for future money

(November 19, 2014)

The ruling group of town councillors consistently lined up steadfastly against several Independents at their Warminster meeting on Monday night gave way on an appeal for commonsense on a £1 million bid for money.

"I again stood up at the moment when it was time to discuss a letter from the Chairman of the Trustees of the Warminster Athenaeum Trust," says Independent town councillor Paul Macdonald.

The town council had received this correspondence addressed to Mrs. Abertnathie at Warminster Town Council 're Warminster Future Housing Developments C.I.L and Section 106 Agreements'

'May I on behalf of the Trustees of the Athenaeum ask you to record our request for substantial funding towards our continued development of the Athenaeum Ccentre for the Community' their Chairman Anthony J Nicklin wrote.

The major investments in the High Street building approached nearly one million pounds.

"I am a keen supporter of the Athenaeum Trust but I urge councillors to think about how we will use this Community Investment Levy money in the future," said Paul issuing a cautionary note..

"I am sure there are other worthy good causes that would like to join the list of this new money that will be available to Wiltshire Council and a proportion of it to us at the town council.

"I would propose that we tell the Chairman that we support the Athenaeum but we need to add them to a list of others who my wish this support.

"Just like we do with the grant applications that we receive each year that I believe may have been over-subscribed three times."

The request did not fall on deaf ears.

Unitary councillor Pip Ridout spoke in favour of this view warning that the money would not be available other than in 'dribs and drabs'.